Shochu is one of Japan’s most loved alcoholic beverages. Outside of Japan the distilled spirit is still not widely known or consumed. However, in Kagoshima, it is the locals’ undisputed poison of choice. There are currently 113 shochu distilleries in Kagoshima Prefecture – the majority of which have been around for over a century – creating more than 2,000 varieties of the spirit.
This time on People of Kagoshima we caught up with Manzen Toshihiro, owner of a craft shochu distillery hidden deep in the Kirishima mountains. We chatted about his philosophy relating to distilling shochu, how he found the plot of land where the distillery is located, and how he helped a young entrepreneur start making shochu in Hawaii.
—————————–
People of Kagoshima
Website:
Social Media:
—————————–
Produced by STORi STUDIOS
AloJapan.com